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SPOTLIGHT
What projects help to rejuvenate communities and their urban core?
Category 2: Infill
Aria Apartments brings 72 affordable
homes, with efficient land-use and building
technologies, to leverage the larger 17.5-acre,
$85 million Aria Denver redevelopment in
Denver’s Chaffee Park neighborhood. At
build-out (452 homes and 30,000 square feet
of neighborhood-serving commercial), Aria
Denver will model environmentally, socially,
and economically responsible community
development.
Tripling the density of surrounding
neighborhoods with innovative parking and
public spaces, the Aria Apartments are also
LEED-Platinum for excellence in energy- and
water-efficient design. Environmentally friendly
materials were installed in each apartment.
Residents have access to active, healthy living
through play spaces, a workout facility, planned
walk/bike loop, and a new urban farm. Aria
Apartments is spurring revitalization in four
long-ignored neighborhoods in Denver
and Adams County. Market reception has
been strong. Within weeks of opening, Aria
Apartments were 100 percent leased. The
developers maintain a waitlist of 1,000.
Owner/Developer: Chuck Perry, Manager,
Aria Apartments LLC. Design Team: Jim
Bershof, Principal, OZ architecture. Greg
Dorolek, Senior Associate, Wenk Associates.
Civil Engineer: Brad Disner, Senior
Manager, Vision Land Consultants Inc. Debt
Participant: Dakar Gibbs, SVP, Bank of
America Merrill Lynch Equity Participant:
Cassandra Silvernail, Tax Credit Investor, Bank
of America Merrill Lynch General Contractor:
Mark Greer, EVP, Palace Construction.
Wow factors: Rocky Mountain views;
the Colorado Health Foundation’s recent
$1 million grant to support a healthy urban
environment at Aria Denver and in the
surrounding neighborhood and schools.
The Source is a
25,000 square-
foot public
market adapted
from an 1880s
iron foundry.
The market
showcases
13 artisans
including two
restaurants, a
coffee shop and
roastery, whole
animal butcher, gallery, cheese shop,
bank, bakery, cocktail bar, and florist.
The Source highlights production
aspects with coffee roasting, bread
baking, butchery, cocktail making, and
other culinary processes taking center
stage in public view. Most recently a
warehouse, the building's lofty central
space retains its brick industrial texture
with lots of natural light and ventilation.
The Source received the 2015 Mayor’s
Design Award. This community
gathering space has become the catalyst
for new development along Brighton
Boulevard, including apartments, a
hotel, the INDUSTRY co-working
space, and a $25 million streetscape
planned by the city.
Developer: Zeppelin Development
Owner: Source Denver, LLC
Architects: Stephen Dynia Architects,
Barker Rinker Seacat Architects,
PLOT Project Engineers: KL&A,
MEC Inc., Wilcon & Co Debt/
Equity Participants: Collegiate
Peaks Bank, Denver Urban Renewal
Authority General Contractor: White
Construction Group
Wow factor: The Source is always
packed, possibly thanks to the almond
croissants from Babette’s.
A $50 million adaptive reuse rescued
one of downtown Denver’s most
treasured and artistic landmarks.
Opened in May 2014 in the 1915
Colorado National Bank building,
the hotel features 230 guestrooms,
6,000 square feet of meeting space; a
fitness center; and Range, a concept
restaurant and bar serving local cuisine.
Sixteen murals from famed western
artist Allen Tupper True have been
carefully conserved as part of the grand,
colonnaded bank lobby repurposed
for the hotel. Vacant since 2007,
the building was a badly vandalized
eyesore. The project involved removal
of hazardous materials while cutting
a “doughnut hole” in the existing
structure to create a two-story addition.
Three of the five original vaults have
been repurposed into meeting space.
Owner/Developer: Stonebridge
Companies Architect: GKK Works
Structural Engineer: Monroe & Newell
Debt/Equity Participants: US Bank,
FirstBank, Denver Urban Renewal
Authority, Greenline Ventures, Historic
Preservation Tax Credits. General
Contractor: Alliance Construction
Interior Design: Design Force
Wow factor: The 33-inch-thick,
60,000-pound steel safe doors
permanently propped open in two
meeting rooms.
Sponsored by
Influence: A project that has inspired
imitation by demonstrating positive
community impact and financial success.
Previous winner: Golden Urban Renewal
Authority for Downtown Golden
Infill: A project that exemplifies
compact, walkable infill.
Previous winner: Fire Clay Lofts
The awards committee is co-chaired by
Beverly Carlson of First American Title
and Stacy Stout of Stout Strategies.
Impact Awards 2015 will be judged by a
distinguished group:
• Laura Aldrete, Parsons Brinckerhoff
• James DeFrancia, Lowe Enterprises
• Curt Fentress, Fentress Architects
• Bill Mosher, Trammell Crow Co
• Cal Fulenwider, Fulenwider
• Ralph Pace, US Bank
• Julie Underdahl, Cherry Creek
North BID
Photos: Timothy Hursley
Photo: Big Daddy Genius Photo: Regis University
March 18-March 31, 2015 — COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL — Page 21AA